U.S. patent number 6,874,746 [Application Number 10/602,379] was granted by the patent office on 2005-04-05 for runner for a vehicle seat, and a method of manufacturing it.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Faurecia Sieges d/Automobile S.A.. Invention is credited to Denis Ganot.
United States Patent |
6,874,746 |
Ganot |
April 5, 2005 |
Runner for a vehicle seat, and a method of manufacturing it
Abstract
A motor vehicle runner having one element comprising a fin
connected to a base perpendicular to the find, said first runner
element comprising first and second sheet metal section members
each having a fin wall, the fin walls of the first and second
section members touching each other and being fixed together via
their main faces to form the fin of the runner element. The first
section member further comprises a base wall connected to the fin
wall of the first section member by a rounded bend which
co-operates with the second section member to define a slot. The
runner element further comprises a bridge of material which spans
said slot and constitutes a direct rigid mechanical connection
between the second section member and the base wall of the first
section member.
Inventors: |
Ganot; Denis (Caen,
FR) |
Assignee: |
Faurecia Sieges d/Automobile
S.A. (Nanterre, FR)
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Family
ID: |
29720027 |
Appl.
No.: |
10/602,379 |
Filed: |
June 24, 2003 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
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Jun 25, 2002 [FR] |
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02 07859 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
248/430;
248/429 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60N
2/0732 (20130101); B60N 2/0705 (20130101); B60N
2/0715 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B60N
2/06 (20060101); B60N 2/07 (20060101); B60N
002/07 () |
Field of
Search: |
;248/424,429,430 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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195 10 493 |
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Oct 1995 |
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DE |
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198 58 846 |
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Jun 2000 |
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DE |
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0 100 880 |
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Feb 1984 |
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EP |
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2 793 453 |
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Nov 2000 |
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FR |
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2 297 029 |
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Jul 1996 |
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GB |
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61-295144 |
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Dec 1986 |
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JP |
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62-74730 |
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Apr 1987 |
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JP |
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Other References
French Search Report for French Application No. FR 02 07859: report
dated Mar. 13, 2003..
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Primary Examiner: Braun; Leslie A.
Assistant Examiner: Szumny; Jon
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Marshall, Gerstein & Borun
LLP
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A vehicle seat runner comprising first and second runner
elements slidably mounted relative to each other in a longitudinal
direction, the first runner element comprising a fin connected to a
base that is substantially perpendicular to the fin and that
extends perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction between two
side portions in connection with the second runner element, said
first runner element comprising first and second sheet metal
section members each having a fin wall, the fin walls of the first
and second section members touching each other and being fixed
together via their main faces to form the fin of the first runner
element, the first section member further comprising a base wall
which forms at least part of the base of the first runner element,
said base wall of the first section member being connected to the
fin wall of said first section member via a rounded bend which
co-operates with the second section member to define a slot,
wherein the first runner element further comprises at least one
welded reinforcing tab which spans at least part of said slot and
constitutes a direct rigid mechanical connection between the second
section member and the base wall of the first section member.
2. The runner according to claim 1, including a runner latch
crimped between two side flanges parallel to the fin and belonging
respectively to the first and second section members, the latch
being crimped in the vicinity of said reinforcing tab.
3. The runner according to claim 1, in which said reinforcing tab
belongs to one of the first and second section members and is
welded to the other of said first and second section members.
4. The runner according to claim 3, in which the reinforcing tab is
formed by a plunged boss formed in the first section member level
with said bend.
5. The runner according to claim 4, in which the reinforcing tab of
the first section member passes through the fin wall of the second
section member.
6. The runner according to claim 4, in which the reinforcing tab of
the first section member is welded to the fin wall of the second
section member without addition of any filler.
7. The runner according to claim 4, in which the second section
member has a base wall substantially coplanar with the base wall of
the first section member, the base wall of the second section
member being connected to the fin wall of said second section
member by a rounded bend which co-operates with the rounded bend of
the first section member to define part of said slot, and said
second section member has an additional reinforcing tab which is
welded to the reinforcing tab of the first section member.
8. The runner according to claim 4, in which the fin wall of the
second section member is extended in a plane beyond the base, and
said reinforcing tab has its end welded against said fin wall of
the second section member.
9. A method of manufacturing a runner according to claim 8, in
which method the first and second section members are made, and
then they are assembled together by welding the fin walls of said
first and second section members together and by welding the end of
the reinforcing tab of the first section member against the fin
wall of the second section member, which wall is plane.
10. The method according to claim 9, in which the fin wall of the
second section member is welded to the fin wall of the first
section member and to the reinforcing tab of said first section
member by laser welding by transparency.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to runners for vehicle seats, and to
methods of manufacturing them.
More particularly, the invention relates to a vehicle seat runner
comprising first and second runner elements slidably mounted
relative to each other in a longitudinal direction, the first
runner element comprising a fin connected to a base that is
substantially perpendicular to the fin and that extends
perpendicularly to the transverse direction between two side
portions in connection with the second runner element, said first
runner element comprising first and second sheet metal section
members each having a fin wall, the fin walls of the first and
second section members touching each other and being fixed together
via their main faces to form the fin of the first runner element,
the first section member further comprising a base wall which forms
at least part of the base of the first runner element, said base
wall of the first section member being connected to the fin wall of
said first section member via a rounded bend which co-operates with
the second section member to define a slot.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Document U.S. Pat. No. 5,941,495 describes an example of such a
runner which has the drawback of presenting insufficient mechanical
strength, in particular against forces tending to tear apart the
first and second runner elements.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A particular object of the present invention is to mitigate that
drawback.
For this purpose, according to the invention, in a runner of the
kind in question, the first runner element further comprises at
least one welded reinforcing tab which spans at least part of said
slot and constitutes a direct rigid mechanical connection between
the second section member and the base wall of the first section
member.
By means of these dispositions, the first runner element is greatly
stiffened, thus preventing said first runner element from opening
or deforming in the event of the runner being subjected to large
forces tending to tear it apart. More particularly, when the first
runner element is of generally channel section with an element such
as a runner latch being crimped therein, these dispositions also
make it possible to guarantee that the crimping is
long-lasting.
In preferred embodiments of the invention, it is possible also to
resort to one or more of the following dispositions: said
reinforcing tab belongs to one of the first and second section
members and is welded to the other of said first and second section
members; the reinforcing tab is formed by a plunged boss formed in
the first section member level with said bend; the fin wall of the
second section member is extended in the same plane beyond the
base, and said reinforcing tab has its end welded against said fin
wall of the second section member; the reinforcing tab of the first
section member passes through the fin wall of the second section
member; the reinforcing tab of the first section member is welded
to the fin wall of the second section member without addition of
any filler; the second section member has a base wall substantially
coplanar with the base wall of the first section member, the base
wall of the second section member being connected to the fin wall
of said second section member by a rounded bend which co-operates
with the rounded bend of the first section member to define part of
said slot, and said second section member has an additional
reinforcing tab which is welded to the reinforcing tab of the first
section member; the runner includes a runner latch crimped between
two side flanges parallel to the fin and belonging respectively to
the first and second section members, the latch being crimped in
the vicinity of said reinforcing tab.
The invention also provides a method of manufacturing a runner as
defined above, in which method the first and second section members
are made, and then they are assembled together by welding the fin
walls of said first and second section members together and by
welding the end of the reinforcing tab of the first section member
against the fin wall of the second section member, which wall is
plane. Advantageously, the fin wall of the second section member is
welded to the fin wall of the first section member and to the
reinforcing tab of said first section member by laser welding by
transparency.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other characteristics and advantages of the invention appear from
the following description of three embodiments, given as
non-limiting examples and with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
In the drawings:
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a vehicle seat including a runner
constituting an embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a cutaway view in perspective of the FIG. 1 runner;
FIG. 3 is a side view of the FIG. 2 runner;
FIG. 4 is a section view on line IV--IV of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 in a second embodiment of the
invention;
FIG. 6 is a detail view seen looking along direction VI in FIG. 5;
and
FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 4 for another embodiment of the
invention.
MORE DETAILED DESCRIPTION
In the various figures, elements that are identical or similar are
designated by the same references.
FIG. 1 shows a motor vehicle seat 1 comprising a back 2 carried by
a seat proper 3, itself mounted on the floor 4 of the vehicle to
slide in a longitudinal direction X.
The seat proper 3 is connected to the floor 4 via two parallel
runners 5, only one of which can be seen in FIG. 1. Each runner 5
comprises a stationary runner element 6 secured to the floor 4 of
the vehicle, and a moving runner element 7 which is secured to the
seat proper 3 and which is mounted to slide in the direction X
relative to the stationary runner element 6.
As shown in greater detail in FIGS. 2 to 4, the stationary runner
element 6 may be in the form, for example, of a section member of
sheet metal that is bent and cut substantially into a channel
section and which comprises:
a horizontal web 8 for fixing to the floor 4 of the vehicle;
two vertical side flanges 9 which extend substantially
perpendicularly from the web; and
two reentrant troughs 9a which extend the side flanges 8 towards
the inside of the runner and towards the web 8.
The moving section member 7 comprises:
a substantially vertical fin 10 to which the structure of the seat
proper 3 is secured; and
a horizontal base 11 substantially perpendicular to the fin 10, the
base 11 extending in a transverse direction Y between two side
portions 12 in sliding connection with the stationary runner
element 6.
In this example, the two side portions 12 in question comprise two
flanges 13 and 14 that are substantially perpendicular to the base
11, which extend towards the web 8. These flanges 13, 14 are
themselves extended outwards and away from the web 8 by two lips 15
which penetrate into the space left between the side flanges 9 and
the reentrant troughs 9 of the stationary runner element 6.
Balls 16 or other rolling elements are generally interposed between
the lips 15 and the side flanges 8, and also between the lips 15
and the reentrant troughs 9a.
In general, the shapes of the two runner elements are similar to
those described in document FR-A-2 755 653.
The moving runner element 7 comprises two section members of bent
and cut sheet metal 17 and 18 which respectively form two fin walls
19, 20.
These two fin walls 19, 20 are preferably mutually parallel plane
walls which touch each other and which are fixed to each other so
as to constitute the fin 10 of the moving runner element 7.
The two fin walls 19 and 10 may be fixed to each other by any known
means, in particular by welding, and more particularly by a method
of welding that does not require any filler material, such as laser
welding by transparency (which method consists in sending a laser
beam onto one of the walls 19, 20, preferably the wall 20, thereby
heating both walls strongly and enabling spot welds or beads of
welding to be formed).
The fin wall of the first section member 17 is extended via a
rounded bend 21 by a base wall 22 which, in this example,
constitutes all of the above-mentioned base 11.
Furthermore, the first section member 17 also comprises the side
flange 14 and the lip 15 corresponding to the flange 14, extending
the base wall 22.
The fin wall 20 of the second section member 18 is extended towards
the web 8 in its own plane so as to form the above-mentioned side
flange 13. The lip 15 which corresponds to this side flange 13 also
belongs to the second section member 18.
The rounded bend 21 co-operates with the above-mentioned fin wall
20 to form a slot 23 that is open towards the web 8. In order to
prevent this bend 21 and slot 23 from leading to excessive
flexibility between the two side flanges 13 and 14, at least one
plunged boss 24 is provided in the first section member 17 level
with the bend 21 (and preferably a plurality of identical or
similar bosses distributed along the length of the runner). This
boss 24 enables a reinforcing tab 25 to be provided which is
integral with the base wall 22 and which extends said base wall in
a straight line to the fin wall 20 of the second section member by
passing through the slot 23.
The reinforcing tab 25 is welded at its end to the fin wall 20,
preferably by transparency welding with a laser beam being applied
to the fin wall 20 from its side opposite from the reinforcing tab
25.
The reinforcing tab 25 thus constitutes a bridge of material
creating a direct rigid connection between the base wall 22 of the
first section member 17 and the section member 18, spanning the
slot 23, thereby enabling the moving runner element 7 to be
considerably stiffened and consequently increasing its strength, in
particular against forces tending to tear the runner apart.
Furthermore, the latch 27 which serves to lock the runner selective
in the position selected by the user may optionally be crimped
between the two side flanges 13 and 14, as described for example in
document FR-A-2 768 670. Under such circumstances, the
above-described dispositions also make it possible to guarantee
that the crimping between the crimped portion 28 of the latch and
the flanges 13 and 14 of the moving runner element 7 is
long-lasting.
It should be observed that the above-described method of assembling
the section members 17 and 18 together is particularly simple,
given that the first section member 17 is merely abutted against
the plane fin wall 20 of the second section member, and given that
assembly is performed solely from outside the section member, by
welding without using any filler material, and in particular by
laser welding by transparency.
The two embodiments described below with reference to FIGS. 5 to 7
are similar to the first embodiment described above and are
therefore not described in detail herein. Only the differences
between these additional embodiments and the first embodiment are
therefore mentioned. It should be observed that although the latch
27 is not shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, this latch could be crimped as
described above in the embodiments of FIGS. 5 to 4.
In the second embodiment of the invention as shown in FIGS. 5 and
6, the reinforcing tab 25 is longer than in the first embodiment,
such that this reinforcing tab passes through a cutout 32 formed in
the fin wall 20 of the second section member.
In the example described, in order to make it easier to position
the first and second section members 17 and 18 relative to each
other, the cutout 32 is larger than the reinforcing tab 25 in the
vertical direction Z, with the reinforcing tab 25 being welded to
the fin wall 20 via its two sides 25a.
In the third embodiment of the invention, shown in FIG. 7, the
first section member 17 is similar in shape to that shown in FIG.
4, although its base wall 22 is narrower in the Y direction since
the second section member 18 in this embodiment has a base wall 34
which is substantially coplanar with the base wall 22 of the first
section member and which extends the fin wall 20 substantially at
right angles going away from the first section member 17, said base
wall 34 itself being extended downwards by the side flange 13 which
is itself extended by the corresponding lip 15 as described
above.
In this embodiment, each of the two section members 17 and 18 has a
rounded bend respectively referenced 21, 35 between its fin wall
19, 20 and its base wall 22, 34. These two rounded bends define
between them a slot 23 that is open towards the web 8.
In this FIG. 7 embodiment, the section members 17 and 18 have
mutually corresponding plunged bosses 24, 36 provided in the bends
21, 35 so as to release pairs of reinforcing tabs 25, 37.
Each reinforcing tab 25, 37 is integral with the corresponding base
wall 22, 34 and extends this base wall in a straight line to the
opposite reinforcing tab 37, 25. Thus, the reinforcing tabs 25, 37
make mutual contact via their end faces 25a, 37a, which can be
welded together, e.g. by laser welding so as to create a rigid
connection spanning the slot 23 between the base walls 22, 34 of
the two section members.
* * * * *